Evaluation of Double Row Plant Spacing on Growth and Early Production of Two Cocoa Clones (Theobroma cacao L.)

Abstract

The planting spacing affected on plant height, canopy width, VSD intensity, number of pod rot, number of pods attacked by Helopeltis sp., Pod Number/Plant at 4 years old. Meanwhile, the clone affected on VSD intensity, number of pod rot, and bean count. Cocoa tree that was planted with dense 2 × 2 × 5 m plant spacing would be higher of the plant height and thinner of canopy width. VSD intensity and Helopeltis sp. attack was found higher in 3 × 3 m (wider) plant spacing. Pod rot was higher in lined with the denser of plant spacing. At the 3 Y. A. P. (first production period), the best production was demonstrated in MCC 02 with 2 × 2 × 5 m plant spacing. At 4 Y. A. P., the plant spacing affected the production. The highest pod harvested was showed in 2 × 2 × 5 m (61.18 pods/tree/year equals to 2.96 tonnes/ha). It demonstrated that double row system with 2 × 2 × 5 m plant spacing could be an alternative of plant spacing in cocoa plantation at the young cocoa stage.